A trial to investigate new and innovative ways to repair soil affected roads, will be considered by Cambridgeshire County Council highways and transport committee next week (Tuesday, 4 March). The plan is to trial this on the B1099 Upwell Road near March.
“This is because it is built over peat soils, forms part of our rural road network with both heavy vehicle and agricultural traffic making it comparable to a lot of other similar routes, and is due for renewal soon,” said a council spokesperson.
In January 2024, the committee discussed proposals for managing soil affected roads. Since then, £1.5m of external funding has been secured, and an extra £5m of capital funding has been assigned specifically to repair and reconstruct soil affected roads before the end of next financial year.
Councillors will hear how the county council has been working with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) on a business case to unlock investment dedicated to the trial. The CPCA has approved £1.5m for the development, design, and delivery of possible long-term solutions to address roads built over peat soils.
Some of the trial options could include using lightweight recycled products, an ‘ultra-low’ carbon material, or a technique that involves treating materials on site to improve their strength and durability. The exact processes will be decided on following further design and development work.
If approved, design work on the trial road selected, including on-site investigations and stakeholder engagement, would start in May. The aim is for the trial to begin in the summer next year.
Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of the highways and transport committee said: “Climate change and extreme weather are having a significant impact on our soil-affected roads.
“While we are doing everything we can locally to maintain and keep these roads safe, addressing this challenge properly requires national support. I’m pleased that our newly elected MPs are now engaging on this issue, and we look forward to working with them and the government to secure the necessary funding and long-term solutions.”
Cllr Neil Shailer, vice-chair of the committee, added: “We have spent millions of pounds repairing these roads, we want to try something different, and this trial would be a good start – I look forward to the debate.”
Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said: “Exploring innovative solutions to the challenge of soil-affected roads is important for the resilience of our transport network.
“The Combined Authority has approved funding to support the development of a trial, and we look forward to seeing the proposals discussed at committee. If taken forward, this work could help identify long-term, climate-resilient approaches to maintaining our rural roads, benefiting communities and businesses across the region.”
